REASONS TO BE HAPPY

   the 
   world 
   is so full 
   of a number 
   of things, 
   
   i'm sure
   we should all 
   be as happy
   as kings.
   ---Robert Lewis Stevenson

   a
   quiet
   spot

   to
   call

   your
       own.......

birds

splish-splashing  

around 

in the birdbath

the 

delicacy
of 
a

butterfly  

balancing  
on a 

flower

the 
clean-as-a-whistle
feeling 
of the world 
when 
the 
sun pops 
out 
after 
a 
rainstorm

Leaving Alaska.....

Lynda & Ron are moving back to Oregon.  They'll be there the 1st of June.  We sure welcome them back but know they'll miss all their friends and the wild wilderness of scenic Wrangell Island.   

We'll miss going to see them and all the adventure that entails.  No more Anan Trips to see the bears or Rainbow falls or going salmon fishing.  Oh dear!!!

Lotz of memories will be left behind.

EARTH DAY EVERY DAY    

Whatever you decide to do make sure you have a chance to reflect on your everyday habits and try to make Earth Day Every Day!...         

Plastic Bottles..........They’re manufactured, packaged, shipped, flown, trucked, and then refrigerated for days only to be thrown away 10 minutes after they’re bought. What a waste!

Plastic Bags.....Can you cross a car park without one? Humans have crossed desserts, oceans and icy landscapes for 1,000’s of years without plastic bags. 

Give it a try.

Styrene Foam........It’s a water resistant, floating, shock absorbing, heat-insulating saboteur of nature. Cups and take-out food ware are the biggest culprits, but the alternatives are plenty.

Pledge all Three  Think you can do it? Go for it! Eliminating all three items from your life makes the biggest impact on the health of our oceans and our planet.      - Pledge Now »

 

I read my daily Book Club this morning and thot how like my night it was.  So I'm going to share it with you, courtest of Susanne Beecher......

"Step right up! Lately there's been a 3-ring circus performing in my bedroom every night and unfortunately I've had a front row seat.  "For your entertainment pleasure, because who needs to sleep, right?
In the First Ring, we have an LED light show!" It seems that every
time I purchase a new piece of electronic equipment, the
manufacturer gives me a gift--LED lights that shine so brightly
every night I have to throw a washcloth over my DVD player, push a shoe up against the red on/off light on my flat screen television, and decorate my alarm clock with a T-shirt.

"In the Second Ring, we have cats!" Not tigers and lions, but noisy,  obnoxious every day cats. Abby thinks she's a human, so she insists on snuggling under the covers and putting her head next to mine on the pillow, which is fine, I'm used to sharing my pillow. But instead, last night she sat at the end of my bed grooming her paws, which then made the bell on her collar ding, ding, ding. As soon as  Abby's dinging quieted down, Rudy, my set-in-his-ways-18-year-old cat, started flicking the drawer handle (loudly) on the bathroom vanity announcing it was time for a 3 a.m., turkey and gravy snack.  When I didn't get up, he resorted to jumping over top of me--back and forth, back and forth--from one side of the bed to the other.

"And finally, in the Third and Center Ring, my dear snoring
husband!" Sneezing and wheezing all day long from a cold, his nose was stuffed up, which meant soon after he fell asleep he started snoring--which stopped when I rolled him over. But eventually he rolled onto his back again, so I had to repeat the routine--four different times during the night.

After the fourth rollover I decided I might as well get up, get a
drink of water and sit for a few minutes. But my activity alerted
the cats--who thought since I was up it must be morning and "It's
time to eat!" Each kitty lined up next to their dish, wondering why I wasn't serving breakfast. I tried to ignore them, but then the outdoor cats (the ones my husband and I take care of) heard the commotion, jumped up on the window sill and stared, "Where's the fish?"

LED lights, cats, and a snoring husband. Yes, there's a 3-ring
circus going on in my bedroom (tickets still available for tonight's
performance), but tonight this ringmaster is sleeping in the guest
room.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends. Suzanne Beecher

 

we took our usual morning walk early today...the creosote is in full bloom and the occasional verbena all lavender and purple.  
thanks to a friend for this picture....it doesn't look like this now (too late in the season) but it gives an idea of how beautiful the desert can be in full bloom. this is actually up in the antelope valley.

murphy (my dog) loves it mornings when we go out before the crowds come and he can run and scare up the quail and jack rabbits.  he goes at full speed but can't catch any of them....then comes home and sleeps the rest of the day.  

the vastness of the open sky all blue with fluffy white clouds really puts serenity in my heart. 

Thank you God!   :)   I can really dig this!
Life is good, oh so good, this Sabbath day!

 

ahh... spring, i love it. honestly, it makes my heart all fuzzy, to see kids being kids. no schedules to follow... sleeping late, having long lazy breakfasts, lunches outside as a family, laughing under the sun and stars.  Lotz of spring breakers here with us, enjoying the beauties, swimming, sun bathing and slow life here in the desert
 

slow slow,  these are the days...

a deep sigh for desert country air, love

falling asleep with a book in my palms.

love gathering strawberries and honey combs in my basket,
from the local farmers, and thinking, i could get used to this.

i love my fountain, that flows the most beautiful water, 
it calls my name. 
do you know, that soothing sound of water, flowing? 

it's sheer poetry, from the most high.
i allowed this water to...
flow straight to my heart
to seep into the most fragile + broken places inside of me
to baptize me anew
to fill me with understanding and love to the brim of my soul
the sunshine joined the party and i had no choice, but to walk away a better person. i dig that.
 : )

life is good
real good

thank you, God

 
 so pretty this morning,             
i went for a walk.
some of the things I saw.



I really like roses
they don't like my yard very well
they grow nicely in my neighbors yards.

down the street there is this gorgeous tulip tree or orchid tree....I don't what it's called.

it sure speaks to you 
when you walk by


it's the absolute best time 
of the year in my opinion.


april and may in the desert.
blue skies....fluffy white 
clouds.   no pressures to 
get things done.


i wish you could come 
walk with me.

Springtime = Asparagus!  I have never liked asparagus until I tried it this way.  It is so tasty I could eat a whole pound of it!  (Haven't tried it, but I bet I could!)

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

desired amount of asparagus

olive oil

salt

pepper

Parmesan cheese

Wash asparagus and hold the the ends.  Bend until each stalk snaps.  It will snap in the perfect place so you won't have "woodiness" (aka: tough stalks).  Lay stalks on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Grate some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top.  Roast in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes or until bright green and tender.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

i find a sense of peace in Monday's. 

i am ready to stumble upon a book, on a subject i know nothing about, and make the most of this quiet morning.
 
how was your weekend?







we bought a half flat of strawberries.  they had been picked in Oxnard....yum-m...........had fun photographing them. real beauties

TALKIN TRAIL MIX
One day I was watching Sandra Lee on the Food Network, and she was making this trail mix.  She called it Talkin' Trail Mix, because she said it's so good everyone will be talking about it!  Well I agree with her!  It is such a perfect blend of ingredients!  I tweaked the recipe a bit and I like it even better! It's very addicting!  Every time I make it someone asks me for the recipe.

Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, coconut, dried cranberries, and dark chocolate. YUMMY!!

First you toast the nuts and coconut in the oven.  Toasting nuts bring out their flavor.

Then while the mixture is still warm, you add the chocolate and cranberries.  The original recipe called to stir these in when mixture is completely cool, which I did many times.  Then one time I accidentally left my trail mix in the sun. It melted the chips and when it cooled, the mix sort of clumped together and I thought it was good that way! So I do it both ways now.

Talkin' Trail Mix

1 bag (6oz) slivered almonds

3/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (they are green)

1 cup sweetened coconut

3/4 cup walnuts (optional)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (Ocean Spray)

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On a foil lined baking sheet, combine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and coconut.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Combine toasted mixture with cranberries and chocolate.

My life is one that involves a lot of creative trial and error with some happy successes. I love nature and God the Creator. Since I am retired, my days are spent mostly at home and I love the sweetness of a day lived well.  I just met some friends who love to get together and play games and I really enjoy sharing my life with others in this way.  Sometimes we get together and paint and play music and visit.  Can't think of anything more relaxing and happy to do.

Some of my artsy friends.

This is the day that The Lord has made, let us rejoice and be GLAD in it!

Hello April....

We welcome all the flowers this spring.

       I tried to get these pics to shove together but they wouldn't cooperate.

Wildflowers in the desert. 

We visited Anza Borrega to see the pretty wildflowers but I think there were just as  many and just as pretty right here at home. 

We visited the Living Desert's Butterfly Pavillion and were enchanted with all the butterflies and hummingbirds all about us, even landing on our heads and hands.

This is a moth but very pretty all the same. 



It was happy to land on Virg's finger.

We have lotz of April birthdays to celebrate.  The first one is...
April 6 - Jack Schleicher
April 8 - Lynda Easterday Chadwick
April 13 - Carol Oday
April 13 - Lorraine Follett
April 19 - Colin Eugene Peterson
April 20 - Asher Ross Peterson
April 23 - Shelley Easterday Hansen  


We wish Happy Birthday to each one of these folks.


We had a hummingbird build a nest on our patio in some vines, so we could watch it all develop.  Well,... there were 2 babies and they more than over flowed the tiny nest so one got pushed out. (ouch)  Virg rescued it and we have played nursemaid to it ever since.  Momma is feeding it in it's temporary nest so we expect it to fly away very soon.

We keep it in a little cotton padded nest cup,,,but momma doesn't seem to mind at all.  She visits regularly feeding this one and flying back to the regular nest and feeding it's sibling.

Weather has been spectacular here in the desert this spring.  Wish everyone could enjoy it here with us.